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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23840275">Ruling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/praxidikai/pseuds/praxidikai'>praxidikai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hypothesis [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dracula (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:13:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23840275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/praxidikai/pseuds/praxidikai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe and Dracula can´t seem to agree in their choice of donors, things get complicated.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dracula/Agatha Van Helsing, Dracula/Zoe Van Helsing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hypothesis [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1713049</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ruling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Zoe gave me such a hard time before I could write this one, she was feeling things and not wanting me to explore it. Good thing I reminded that I'm the one in charge here because this went interesting places.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dracula rolled his eyes and spun around, glancing away from his huge window after a long contemplation of the sun. “What is it now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Page two, line fifteen,” Zoe said, turning the page and handing the file to him. “She was addicted to heavy medicine. We already have one addict, we don’t need another one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat both hands on the table, held her gaze. “There’s one I think may fit perfectly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She crossed her arms in her chest, “Which one? The depressed student in debt? The narcissistic lawyer? We also have reached our recommended quota of Narcissus: one. You need better candidates.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have one,” he insisted, “Two, actually. One is a doctor, the other is a nun, both great minds, stubborn as they come, not very fond of my kind, but we can work around it. They also have this thing for the occult. Reckless, but still fascinating.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She narrowed her eyes at him, “You’ll find someone, you just need to look harder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t have to if you said ‘yes’” he replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not doing it,” Zoe declared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Agatha,” the Count called.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, don’t start,” the younger Van Helsing said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let her through,” he growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her trembling hands became quiet and held each other. “You two need to work this out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She started it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, please, you think I didn’t see that? You’re no saint. And what is it that you want now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sideways smile from his part, “A lot of things, but right now I’d like the two of you to reconsider. This will take an eternity and we don’t have the time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have all the time in the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two don’t!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Agatha shook her head, sighed, “Get Zoe to agree, this isn’t my body, it isn’t my decision.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Agatha,--” he stopped when he saw her expression change again. “Zoe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get another group of files,” she grabbed her bag from the chair nearby.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen to me, you want to be cautious, work with me. We don’t need to have to deal with a donor. We could do it, Zoe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’d wasting your time and money, I’m past the age, my chances are less than twenty percent.” she got the purse on her shoulder. “Call me when you get the new files,” she headed to the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it that you want?” he questioned. “What is going on, Zoe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She faced him, “Why should there be something wrong? Because I don’t think it’s a huge honor to mother a dhampir? I really must be insane to pass this opportunity. I’m not your test tube.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll step away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A beat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How much time do you want?” he asked. “A year? Two? How much time do you want me to disappear?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As tempting as it is, you’re not buying me,” she said and left before anything else could be said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had just opened her car door when Agatha spoke, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You don’t hate him, you still feel guilty about what happened and you’re jealous… Because of me,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>the nun continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I did my job, I failed it and brought him back to life.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“And you got </span>
  </em>
  <span>me</span>
  <em>
    <span> back. He isn’t killing, the foundation has been of use. What is it?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t see how that’s a problem.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Who do you think has he on a leash?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No one does.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You do”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Please, I could hardly contain him in the Demeter.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Still, he listens to you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He listens to himself.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not you, Sister. The body is mine, the eggs are mine, you are his perfect bride, not me. And why are we even having this conversation? This shouldn’t be a thought.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Shouldn’t it?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Agatha prompted,</span>
  <em>
    <span> “He gave you something back there, he’s listening to you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s desperate.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“And that is your chance to take the leash.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re considering it, why?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Curiosity, perhaps. But mostly because he has a point, we don’t need to drag anyone else into it, this might be a better option.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tied to him for eternity.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I see how this can be troubling for you, I believe I’ve grown used to it. One hundred and twenty-three years can do that to a person. An enemy may become a familiar face.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re growing soft.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoe could almost see the nun shrug. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“He grows easier to understand with time, it gets better, you learn how to play your cards. Go home, Zoe. Take your time, the beast follows his own rules, even if he doesn’t understand why.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor shook her head, got inside, and started the car. She went home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The buzzing woke her, it had her hand wandering in the dark until she found her phone. “Yes, Jack?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doctor, I know it’s your day off, but we’ve got a problem.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sat up on the bed. “What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The procedure isn’t working, the egg is healthy, the temperature is perfect, but both procedures failed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoe rubbed her forehead, after days they had found a donor good enough for her and Dracula not to fight about, all it was necessary now was to put both samples together and let nature do her thing before heading to the next step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it his sample?” the doctor asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the only explanation I have, everything else is fine. The sperm seems fine too, but it just won’t happen. I changed the temperature, tried working with hormones, and nothing worked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m coming over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack wouldn’t stop pacing. “Temperature, pH, timing. Everything was according to the ideals.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoe watched as nothing happened. No nature acting, no fertilization.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Son of a--”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Bless you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Agatha intervened. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“What is it?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“This won’t work.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“The only answer I have is vampire nature. It doesn’t make sense, it should work.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she sighed, grabbed her phone, and started searching for his number, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“We will never hear the end of it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Because, Sister, I think his best shot is good old intercourse.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Zoe, how can I be of assistance?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Count picked up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m stopping by. We have a situation. The IVF doesn’t work.”</span>
</p>
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